The R33 series was very similar to its predecessor, the R32 series. The GT-R was continued, as was the optional all-wheel-drive layout of the sedans and coupes. The car was still very sporty, although it had grown a little in size and weight and had thus become less agile. However, the weight disadvantage was compensated in the engine department by the new normally aspirated RB25, a 2.5l inline-6 with 190 hp for the GTS4 and GTS25 versions, and the far more powerful RB25DET, a 2.5l inline-6 turbo with an output of 245 hp, which worked in the GTS25t. Base GTS models were powered by the RB20E with 130 hp.

A heavy burden lay upon the R33 GT-R's back when it was introduced on the 1993 Tokyo Auto Show. Considering its predecessor success as an almost unbeatable race car and an excellent road car, hardly anybody could imagine the new GT-R could possibly improve on the R32’s performance. However, the 1995 R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R could soon prove that it was better than the old version in almost any way, although it too had gained some weight.

The R33 GT-R retained its predecessor's RB26DETT engine with an officially unchanged 280hp, but had a broader torque band which made the engine more flexible. Also standard were improved versions of ATTESA-ETS and Super-HICAS.

Nissan took the R33 GT-R to racing, as it did with the R32 GT-R. However, in the beginning the R33 was not as successful as its predecessor. In 1995 and 1996, Nissan Motorsport division NISMO took the NISMO GT-R LM to the 24 hour race of Le Mans. In 1995, the No.22 car og H. Fukuyama and S. Kasuya finished 10th overall and 5th in its class. It was modified to rear-wheel-drive and was powered by a Group N specification engine with 400hp. The following year, the No. 23 car of Hoshino, Hasemi and T.Suzuki finished 15th overall and 10th in the class with a 2.8-liter version of the RB26DETT producing 600 hp.

However, at the dawn of its life-cycle, the R33 in Pennzoil livery could secure the driver's title in the 1998 All Japan GT Championship, driven by Eric Comas and Masami Kageyama.

Since engine power for production cars was restricted to 280 hp in Japan, having a car built by a tuning division was the only way to get over such a regulation. And this is exactly what Nissan did with the 400R in February 1996, a car that was produced in a very limited number of only 99 pieces.

After contending with the GT-R LM race-cars in Le Mans, the GT-R LM Road Car and the NISMO 400R were intended as road-going versions of these race cars. Both got derivatives of the Le Mans engine, the GT-R LM Road Car with 305 hp and the 400R with 400hp. Unfortunately only one GT-R LM Road Car was built to homologate the car for racing, which is confined to a museum today.

The NISMO 400R was powered by an enlarged version of the RB26DETT, the 2.8-liter RBX-GT2, a twin-turbo with an astonishing 400 hp. However, whereas the GT-R LM Road Car only got RWD (like the race-cars), the 400R got further improved GT-R technology, like ATTESA-ETS etc.

Naturally, both car’s inner potency was resembled in their designs as well. Each one of them featured bigger wheels, wider spoilers and wheel-arches and lower suspension, to give them a look even more dramatic than the already not too inconspicuous standard GT-R.

Autech is a subsidiary of Nissan specialized in modifying cars. The Autech Skyline GT-R was a four-door version of the R33 GT-R, which was introduced as a limited edition for the 40th birthday of the Nissan Skyline. The Autech version got all of the GT-R’s standard technology, as well as the most vital parts of its interior like bucket seats etc. So it really was a GT-R in terms of performance - just a lot more practical.

NISMO also produced a tuned version of the Autech GT-R, which featured the spoilers of the NISMO 400R and a 380hp engine. It is not difficult to imagine that this car was THE attraction on its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show.

The standard R34 was available either with all-wheel-drive or rear-wheel drive, in sedan and coupe bodystyles. There were five trim levels: the R34 GT, powered by the RB20DE with 140hp; the R34 25GT-V with the RB25DE engine and 193hp; the R34 25GT and 25GT-X, which get optional AWD and last but not least the top-of-the-line R34 25GT-t, powered by the RB25DET with 280hp. The GT-X and 25GT RWD models are not available in coupe bodystyles.

Of course a GT-R may not be missing. Regarding the technology, the R34's top version is an evolution of the former R33 GT-R, but with much sharper looks and a truly improved chassis, making this the best Skyline GT-R ever and, in comparison to other sports cars, one of the fastest cars in the world: The R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R held the Track Record for production cars at the Nürburgring Northloop, the most difficult racetrack of the world, until the Porsche 996 Turbo came along.

Overall, six versions of the R34 GT-R were available: GT-R, GT-R V-Spec, GT-R V-Spec II, GT-R V-Spec II Nür (750 made), GT-R M-Spec and GT-R M-Spec Nür (253 made). All models share the RB26DETT inline-6 with an official 280 hp. However, the Nür versions came powered by a NISMO-prepared N1 engine featuring modified a crankshaft and upgraded turbochargers. The V-Spec added additional aero parts, including a diffuser, and featured altered suspension settings. The M-Spec was name after the engineer Mizuno, who was in charge of the Skyline development team from 2000 on, and featured "Ripple Control" dampers for improved handling and heated leather seats.

The R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R was officially discontinued after 2002. However, in 2005 NISMO produced the special edition NISMO GT-R Z-Tune limited to only 20 examples. The GT-R Z-Tune started out with bodyshells of used R34 GT-R's, which were completely disassembled and refurbished. It came powered by a modified version of the RB26DETT with 500hp.

The R34 also excelled in racing, scoring several driver's and constructor's championships in the Japan GT Championship (JGTC) between in 1999 and 2002. The JGTC race cars were powered by an upgraded version of the RB26DETT with 2,708 cc and 460 - 500 hp and weighted about 2,464 lbs. (1,200 kg). With the 1999 Pennzoil Skyline GT-R, Eric Comas won the driver's championship a second time after 1998. For 2000, the GT-R placed second in both the driver's and constructor's championships. In 2001, team NISMO won the constructor's championship, with R.Michigami and H.Mitsusada scoring third in the driver's ranking.